This Cassibelan, in times past, had made continual war upon the cities adjoining; but the Britons being moved with the Roman invasion, had resolved in that necessity to make him their sovereign, and general of the wars (which continued hot between the Romans and them); but in the meanwhile the Troynovants, which was then the strongest city well near of all those countries (and out of which city a young gentleman, called Mandubrace, upon confidence of Cæsar’s help, came unto him into the mainland of Gallia, now called France, and thereby escaped death, which he should have suffered at Cassibelan’s hand), sent their ambassadors to Cæsar, promising to yield unto him, and to do what he should command them instantly, desiring him to protect Mandubrace from the furious tyranny of Cassibelan, and to send him into their city with authority to take the government thereof upon him.
— from The Survey of London by John Stow

As she loosens the grasp and neutralizes the influence of France and Spain in regions beyond the sea, there is perhaps seen the prophecy of some other great nation in days yet to come, that will incline the balance of power in some future sea war, whose scope will be recognized afterward, if not by contemporaries, to have been the political future and the economical development of regions before lost to civilization; but that nation will not be the United States if the moment find her indifferent, as now, to the empire of the seas.
— from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

It takes time to pass à la filière and the exercises d'escap ."
— from The King in Yellow by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

"A man in distressed circumstances has not time for all those elegant decorums which other people may observe.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

H2 anchor CHAPTER XIX Farinello and the Electress Dowager of Saxony—Madame Slopitz—Nina—The Midwife—Madame Soavi—Abbe Bolini— Madame Viscioletta—The Seamstress—The Sorry Pleasure of Revenge—Severini Goes to Naples—My Departure—Marquis Mosca Anyone who attacks a proud person in a comic vein is almost sure of success; the laugh is generally on his side.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

They then sat down again at the table, and began with fresh appetites to eat, drink, sing, and recite verses.
— from The Arabian Nights Entertainments by Andrew Lang

For all the elect do not work miracles, and yet the names of all are written in heaven.
— from Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England by Bede, the Venerable, Saint

Far as the eye discerns, withouten end, Spain's realms appear, whereon her shepherds tend Flocks, whose rich fleece right well the trader knows— Now must the pastor's arm his lambs defend: For Spain is compassed by unyielding foes, And all must shield their all, or share Subjection's woes.
— from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage by Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron

Behold him landed, careless and asleep, From all the eluded dangers of the deep; Lo where he lies, amidst a shining store Of brass, rich garments, and refulgent ore; And bears triumphant to his native isle A prize more worth than Ilion's noble spoil."
— from The Odyssey by Homer

But, my child, (sneeringly he spoke it,) do but consider what a fine opportunity you will then have for a tale every day to good mother Jervis, and what subjects for letter-writing to your father and mother, and what pretty preachments you may hold forth to the young gentlemen.
— from Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

I didn’t care about being killed, but I couldn’t leave this officer, who was standing there as though he were on parade, except that his hands were working ten times as fast as they ever did at drill.
— from The Black Watch: A Record in Action by Joe Cassells

But he calmed himself; that was only a formality, as ancient, in fact, as the Egyptian dynasties.
— from The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt by Bolesław Prus

The horror which Lucy felt at this explicit declaration of his purpose inspired her with new resolution.
— from The Betrothed From the Italian of Alessandro Manzoni by Alessandro Manzoni

Strangely enough, this bird, which seems to like best to sing when far, far above the earth, does not refuse to sing when confined in a cage.
— from Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 7 by Charles Herbert Sylvester

Bracy dashed ahead, waving his sword, and his half-company of boys cheered as they followed him; while as soon as they started there was a tremendous crashing of dislodged masses of rock, which came thundering down, fortunately sent too soon to injure the charging soldiery, who were saved from a second discharge by a sharp crackling fire from the rocks which they were to have occupied, the rapid repetitions telling that a strong company of their friends were at work, and the bullets spattering and flicking among the enemy, driving them at once into cover.
— from Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills by George Manville Fenn

The monkey, however, kept its face to its foe, and the eagle did not care to engage with it in this position, but probably would have tired it out.
— from The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt

If they had done it they would have risen to the surface; if they had failed and themselves escaped destruction they would still have risen.
— from Olga Romanoff by George Chetwynd Griffith

If crops failed, and the earth did not bring forth her fruit, vessels arrived not from distant parts, laden with corn.
— from The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 17, No. 487, April 30, 1831 by Various

So that though the reader must have felt (as the editor did in a very peculiar manner,) that Isaac kept his guests too long in that horrible place the castle of Aikwood, it will now appear that not one iota of that long interlude of his could have been omitted; for till the weird was read, and the transformation consummated, the embassy could not depart,—and unless these had been effected, the castle could not have been taken.
— from The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 3 (of 3) by James Hogg